Santa Cruz Heckler 650b 2014

While the 26er hardtail market is all but dead here in the US for 2014, there still poking around in Europe and fairly strong (for now). But things are inevitable to progress and see change in regards to the b-tweener wheel sizing as Santa Cruz has built quite a few new models around, and has radically changed their iconic bike, to the Heckler 650b, which still holds true to it’s roots as a single pivot full suspension setup.
The suspension stays relatively the same, but the entire Santa Cruz Heckler 27.5 frame gets some swoopy-yet-edgy design colors and takes full advantage of some great geometry numbers from one specific ride that is super hot, popular, and lighting up the singletrack. By way of the Bronson enduro setup!The 2014 Heckler also recently had a birthday, by turning the highly educated age of 18, so to celebrate this close to legal status, they opted to reinvent the ride once again! This time, they grabbed a hold of the latest craze of 27.5 wheels along with borrowing a little bit of love byway of the Bronson as stated above. Some seriously flattering new geometry to match what the most talked about Enduro bike is all about. What this translates into is a bit slacker head tube and longer top tube all for better all around fun out on the trail.
What Santa Cruz didn’t change is the same outstanding reliability, that iconic name, and of course the same great price points for both frame and complete ride. All of this newly getup with the slightly bigger wheels will be had for as little coin of $2,599 USD.
They have reported the head tube is actually two degrees slacker at 67.
The name is just Heckler. No C (for carbon) at this price point.
Unfortunately, it didn’t get Stealth routing for a dropper post this year, just external routing for the dropper of your choice. Never fear though, SC is still spec’n a triple crank, all spinning on a threaded bottom bracket with ISCG05 tabs for anyone adverse to change.
As what has made this bike so extremely popular over the course of nearly two decades, the squish still acts byway of a super simple to maintain single pivot design, but to modernize it the rear end now utilizes a stiffer 142×12 axle setup.
Not feeling the brighter Heckler curacao blue as your color? You will be able to still channel your inner Man in
the traditional Black color shown as the R AM above. Purchase info for the Santa Cruz R AM Complete Bike.. Get out and Heckler All Things Trail!

GEOMETRY

This newest Heckler geometry design is based on a 544.4mm axle to crown:
This new geo was actually brought directly over from the extremely popular Bronson 650b.